Marvel Stadium

[Pakenhamsaint]

The price of beer went up around R1 I think. It used to be 9.70 for a pint of draught. Now it's 10 bucks.

imported bottled beers in the bars at the G are never under $10

Marvel it's 10.20. MCG it's 10.80

 

[R Chee Manning]

My suggestion if you come in from southern cross is to eat at the Network public bar within the station and eat a proper meal before or after the game. You can watch other matches on various tvs too.

$10 meals at the Southern Cross.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

Can someone explain why the AFL has bought this hole of a stadium and yet we still get ripped off?

19.50 today for two drinks and a ******* hot chips for ****s sake.

The food as a whole is rubbish.

Phone reception at the ground is a joke. Their wifi is problematic (at least for me).

They didn’t even have Carlton Draught on tap the other week. They were pouring cans into cups. What sort of BS is that?

About time the AFL put some money and effort into this **** ground and made food prices more in line with the MCGs.

It ******* sucks.

Are you a MCC/AFL member?

 

[grimface_87]

I bring in something almost always.

I also like to have hot chips when I’m at the footy and am questioning why prices are so different from the MCG. The AFL got the MCG to change and they don’t own the MCG. They own Marvel yet their food is much more pricier and is probably worse than the MCG’s.

Most likely they have an existing contract with the catering company and the prices are set even though they now own the venue

 

[jezza25]

Does anyone know what time Marvel opens tonight if the game starts at 7.25 ?
Cheers

 

[HAPPY BUDDHA]

Can someone explain why the AFL has bought this hole of a stadium and yet we still get ripped off?

19.50 today for two drinks and a ******* hot chips for fu**s sake.

The food as a whole is rubbish.

Phone reception at the ground is a joke. Their wifi is problematic (at least for me).

They didn’t even have Carlton Draught on tap the other week. They were pouring cans into cups. What sort of BS is that?

About time the AFL put some money and effort into this s**t ground and made food prices more in line with the MCGs.

It ******* sucks.

Fully shit from what you’re explaining in the OP. Been back since?

This was the fish burger offered up at Optus stadium for $12.50



2 fish fingers, some butched lettuce and a squirt of mayo. $12.50.

Thanks for coming!!

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

Can someone explain why the AFL has bought this hole of a stadium and yet we still get ripped off?

19.50 today for two drinks and a ******* hot chips for fu**s sake.

The food as a whole is rubbish.

Phone reception at the ground is a joke. Their wifi is problematic (at least for me).

They didn’t even have Carlton Draught on tap the other week. They were pouring cans into cups. What sort of BS is that?

About time the AFL put some money and effort into this s**t ground and made food prices more in line with the MCGs.

It ******* sucks.

The G is more expensive. A pint of beer is 10.80 at the G. 10 bucks at Marvel.

 

[BringBackTorps]

The status of DS is being upgraded. A new AFL General Manager position, & new Business Unit, is being created (who will be responsible for DS development)- & this person will become part of the AFL Executive. This creation implies the AFL is expecting greatly increased revenues from DS.

AFL announces future direction of Marvel Stadium

The AFL has today announced a change to the management of Marvel Stadium, with the venue to transition into a business unit within the AFL

www.afl.com.au

If Tas. becomes the 19th team c. 2025, there will be 11 extra H & A games pa- & probably many more Thur. night games at DS, which will probably supplant Fri. night as the main AFL match marquee night. DS weekend day games will probably be greatly reduced, allowing the Tas. 19th team to have those weekend daytime slots for its home games.

See current Thread on the proposed Tasmanian 19th team, & implications for the fixture/more Thur. night games- in the Footy Industry Forum.

 

[footyfan1978]

Hiring bulldozers and large wrecking balls from cranes would be far more easier.

 

[Underarm]

If the Thursday night matches aren't blockbusters the crowds are going to be really poor. Thursday night at Docklands would be the worst timeslot by far.

 

[JohnZ]

When thursday night's become a regular 22 game fixture, they'll be played at docklands over the MCG to minimise empty seats. Be interesting to see if crowds go if Collingwood v Geelong is at the dome on a thursday night.

 

[Billy ray]

When thursday night's become a regular 22 game fixture, they'll be played at docklands over the MCG to minimise empty seats. Be interesting to see if crowds go if Collingwood v Geelong is at the dome on a thursday night.

They wont schedule that match up.
will be lots of nm, st, wb home games v non vic sides

 

[Teen Wolf]

Wait, why would a 19th team mean a large increase in Thursday night matches anywhere? There would still only be a maximum of 9 matches per round, the AFL would just schedule a 24th Round to get in the extra games as they did in 2011 and the early-90s when there was an odd-number of teams.

And regardless of timeslots, I'm pretty sure a Tasmanian team would be bad for Docklands. It would dilute the number of games between two Melbourne clubs there.

 

[JohnZ]

Wait, why would a 19th team mean a large increase in Thursday night matches anywhere?

If a team has a Bye, then it's easier to play them on the Thursday night without running into 4/5 day breaks.

They wont schedule that match up.
will be lots of nm, st, wb home games v non vic sides

On a thursday night? No chance...docklands tenants fight it out for the coveted Sunday 4.40 slot, or that's what the AFL would like them to do.

 

[BringBackTorps]

Wait, why would a 19th team mean a large increase in Thursday night matches anywhere?
And regardless of timeslots, I'm pretty sure a Tasmanian team would be bad for Docklands. It would dilute the number of games between two Melbourne clubs there.

See my posts # 1126 & 1187 to fully answer your comments, in the BF Link below- New Tasmanian team

Tasmania - Congratulations on Tassie License. Mens team to enter 2028. Womens team TBA. Other details TBA 3/5

GO TO PART 2 of this thread: https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/congratulations-on-tassie-license-mens-team-to-enter-2028-womens-team-tba-other-details-tba-3-5-part-2.1357724/

www.bigfooty.com

The Tas. team is very likely to play home games on the weekends, during the day. The AFL will not want concurrent AFL games, therefore many of these DS day slots will move to Thur. nights, which is very high rating prime time- & VERY valuable Rights $ for the AFL.

Tim Watson is predicting there will be many more Thur. night games post 2020, as is Ch.7 AFL reporter M. Stevens (who also says Thur. night games will become the marquee timeslot of the week, replacing Fri. night marquee)

Gary Lyon said Ch. 9 would be very interested in being the broadcaster for Thur. night games. This will encourage further competition between bidders in the next Rights deal, which will make the AFL salivate.

 

[JohnZ]

Gary Lyon said Ch. 9 would be very interested in being the broadcaster for Thur. night games

I do believe that if the AFL wants to maximise it's broadcast $$$ it's going to need to start packaging timeslots instead of selling them in one go. Ch10 can't afford to produce 4 AFL games a weekend, but it could probably afford to let Foxtel (or themselves if it would save them any money) to produce a thursday night game.

If I was the AFL, I would be using AFL media to produce all games. Control the commentary, the graphics, the analysis. Sell timeslots to interested parties and control the streaming rights (Netflix? Youtube?). The bold make money.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

I'll probably get banned on here but unless Essendon play in a Grand Final I prefer watching footy at Docklands

People who say it sucks tend to be MCC and AFL members. What a coincidence! What they really don't like is paying to get in.

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

People who say it sucks tend to be MCC and AFL members. What a coincidence! What they really don't like is paying to get in.

AFL members dont pay to get in. They scan thier card like everyone else

 

[CarnTheScray]

Stadiums fine for me. I bring my own food and a hot drink in a thermos most games I go to, especially the night games.

 

[Kwality]

I’m aware that food and drinks at events will be more expensive. I’m questioning why the AFL made a big song and dance about prices being lowered at the MCG but even after buying Marvel they haven’t done anything to their prices.

Likely to have a contractor, the venue marks up their prices, basically the AFL are gouging.

 

[giggler99]

Docklands turned 20 years yesterday where has the time gone! Happy Birthday Marvel stadium.

Good article by Tom Morris on the history of the stadium and it’s problems over the years!

‘We’re in trouble’: 20 years ago on a hot chaotic night, the AFL changed forever at ‘Colonial Stadium’
Former AFL chief executive Wayne Jackson remembers it like it was yesterday.

• March 9, 2020 7:50am
• Tom Morris@tommorris32
• Source: FOX SPORTS

March 9, 2000 - the day the AFL changed forever.Source: FOX SPORTS
“That opening night was very difficult,” Jackson told foxfooty.com.au.
“People didn’t know entrances. They didn’t know where to park, where seats were and there were massive queues.
Watch every match of every round of the 2020 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE & On-Demand with KAYO. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
“There were lots of lines and inconvenience to the fans that turned up, which was really disappointing.”
Twenty years ago – on March 9, 2000 – Docklands hosted its first AFL match between Essendon and Port Adelaide.
There have been 930 home and away season clashes since — and more controversies than the AFL would care to rehash.
The pre-game monologue had Bruce McAvaney strolling towards the camera alongside expert Malcolm Blight.
“This is more than a match,” McAvaney told Channel 7’s viewers, “this is a great event!”

Malcolm Blight and Bruce McAvaney opened the broadcast.Source: Channel 7
Blight was carrying a footy and bounced it on the surface. He only just gathered it on the rebound.
“You can’t even get it to bounce! We’re in trouble,” the 1978 Brownlow Medallist said.
“Where the joins are happening the ball is not quite bouncing back. On this side of the ground the players are going to struggle.”
It was a prophetic statement. For the next 20 years, the surface would become the most critiqued patch of grass in Australia. Fourteen weeks later, a St Kilda v Hawthorn match was moved from Colonial Stadium to the MCG because the turf was deemed a workplace hazard.
Opening night saw the Bombers thump Port Adelaide by 94 points. Michael Long kicked the first goal at the new stadium, while Matthew Lloyd booted seven in front of 43,012 fans with the roof open.

Matthew Lloyd and James Hird guided Essendon to victory at ‘Colonial Stadium’.Source: News Limited
“There was a fair bit of chat about kicking the first goal,” Lloyd told foxfooty.com.au.
“I got the first score because I missed a sitter from 15 metres out and Longy kicked the first goal. I will never forget that.”
ROUND 1 'A CALCULATED RISK'
Jackson now concedes the stadium turf was not suitable for play in early March.
The early start to the home and away season was due to the 2000 Sydney Olympics in September, meaning the AFL fixture had to be brought forward.
“We wanted to get it ready for Round 1 but were probably still several weeks away from where we wanted it to be,” Jackson conceded.

Seven Network chairman Kerry Stokes, Colonial CEO Peter Smedley and AFL CEO Wayne Jackson following the deal to rename Docklands Stadium as Colonial Stadium for its Year 2000 opening. Picture: Colin MurtySource: News Corp Australia
“We took a calculated risk and I think it was really successful, but it was very difficult for the fans who turned up there for the first time.
“I can clearly remember going there when the ground had just been sanded. You could see sand coming up and lumps of turf occasionally. It took some time before the stadium surface became really acceptable for AFL football.”
DOCKLANDS v WAVERLEY
The Great Southern Stand’s redevelopment at the MCG a decade earlier had seen the league send the 1991 Grand Final to Waverley Park (VFL Park).
But as the 1990s wore on, it became apparent the AFL was keen to have a presence closer to the city, near public transport, away from the rain belt on a playing arena that had similar dimensions to the MCG and where fans could be closer to the action than Waverley.
Jeff Kennett’s state government pinpointed Docklands as a key growth area and worked with the AFL on a deal which would see roughly 40 home and away matches played at the new venue annually until 2025.
The AFL would act as a key tenant, but not own the venue until such time as the two parties decided to negotiate a deal.
“I was the CEO when we decided to do it, which meant selling Waverley,” Jackson said.
“It wasn’t a hard decision for the AFL, but it was a hard decision convincing a lot of football people that was a wise thing to do. Remembering that Waverley was never finished. It was going to eventually hold 120,000 people.”

Then Hawthorn president Ian Dicker at Waverley Park in 1998. He objected to Waverley being sold by the AFL to fund Docklands Stadium.Source: News Corp Australia
Jackson suggested the MCG’s redevelopment before the 2006 Commonwealth Games may never have eventuated if not for the Docklands venue. The in-city competition did not exist before the turn of the century and, according to the former league CEO, Docklands jolted the Melbourne Cricket Club into action, which benefited everyone.
“Waverley was never a competitive stadium to the MCG,” he said.
"Whereas when Docklands was built there was a better stadium for AFL football in Melbourne than the MCG.
“That encouraged the redevelopment of the MCG, which today is an absolutely magnificent stadium. One could realistically question whether the stakeholders in the MCG would have undertaken that development work if there had not been a competitive stadium down the road.
“That’s a really important point as to why the AFL moved from Waverley. I think it kick-started the MCG redevelopment.”
Hawthorn now trains at Waverley, but will soon move to an elite facility in Dingley.
EARLY CONTROVERSY
Docklands was riddled with controversy in its early years. There were not enough entrances, queues were painfully long, toilets were hard to get to and, on one occasion, they ran out of food in ‘The Grill’ before half-time at a Monday night game.

Fans waiting to enter Colonial Stadium ahead of the first game.Source: News Corp Australia
The logistical issues even impacted Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy the day before the first match, according to Matthew Lloyd.
“I remember the buzz at the training session we had a day beforehand,” Lloyd said.
“We had a laugh because ‘Sheeds’ wasn’t out there. He had been locked in the toilet cubicle. They were new toilets and he couldn’t get out!”
Those who worked at the stadium and the AFL in its early days generally agree Ian Collins’ arrival as CEO in mid-2000 fixed a huge number of issues.
His style was unique, old school and at times confrontational, but he got things done. His relationship with Jackson's successor, Andrew Demetriou, was fiery but effective.
Jackson added: “We were always confident in the management of the stadium after Ian Collins got his feet on the ground.”
But in order to recoup huge amounts of money, Colonial Stadium – as a multi-purpose arena – needed to host more than football games. A lot more.

Barbra Streisand during her Melbourne concert at Colonial Stadium.Source: News Corp Australia
Six days after the first ever match at the venue, Barbra Streisand played in front of 70,000 fans. She performed again two nights later, on March 17. And 48 hours after that, the Western Bulldogs hosted Brisbane.
These tight turnarounds have been par for the course at Docklands for 20 years. Soccer, rugby union, WWE pro wrestling, international cricket and concerts are just some of the varied events the venue has attracted to the benefit of its shareholders (and now the AFL), but to the detriment of the grass.
SURFACE ISSUES
The demands on the ground staff were significant in the early days, with Docklands locked in to host 80 to 100 events per year. Financially, it made sense, but the ground struggled to cope with the traffic and lines of communication were blurred with much of the operations outsourced.
The public relations struggle existed from day one and the poor playing surface was symbolic of wider issues.
“As time went on the hardness became a factor,” said Lloyd, who booted 299 goals at the ground.
“If it was a nice sunny day, there was nothing better than the MCG. But if it wasn’t a good day I loved it as a forward. The ball travelled quickly. Kicking from 50 was much easier.”
The poor surface became laughable at times. In July 2010, St Kilda and Hawthorn played out a Friday night draw but all the headlines the next day referred to the shocking state of the turf. Mark Robinson, positioned at the front of the media box, shouted “What a fiasco!” as another player slipped.

Hawthorn and St Kilda drew in 2010.Source: News Limited
The next night there was a Bledisloe Cup match, which did even more damage. And later that same year, Shaun Higgins fell awkwardly on dodgy turf and tore ligaments in his ankle.
Those days are over, according to Nick Riewoldt — the man who played more matches on the ground than any other.
“I was out on the ground the other night at the State of Origin game and gone are the days of the surface being bad,” Riewoldt told foxfooty.com.au.
“Looking at old vision, it was a patchwork quilt. But not anymore.
“All of the criticism that it’s received was balanced out by playing in great conditions. I never subscribed to the theory that I pulled up worse because I had no basis of comparison. I never felt like the surface impacted me in a negative way.”
INDOOR FOOTY
Indoor football had never been played in 103 years of VFL/AFL action and there was widespread criticism of its inception as the stadium was being built in the late 1990s.

The sun has always been an issue for players. Picture: George SalpigtidisSource: News Corp Australia
"People were asking how you could play footy under a roof," former Herald Sunchief football writer Mike Sheahan told foxfooty.com.au.
The venue always struggled to grow grass. This was due to the orientation of the venue, which runs north-south due to the placement of surrounding roads and the Docklands body of water.
It’s believed the northern end only receives roughly six weeks of sunlight per year and concerts at the ground are generally held at the southern end because grass grows faster there.
“The biggest problem – and it’s ongoing – was that the sun shines into the players eyes and is shocking on TV,” Sheahan continued.
“You can’t have a sport where the players have to put their hands up all the time to see what’s going on. And we still have that."
Riewoldt added: “The most frustrated I got was when the roof was left open during the day. At times it was literally impossible to see the ball. And the feedback we got from the AFL was simply that they liked it to be open sometimes when the weather was nice.”

The venue runs north-south due to the placement of surrounding roads and the Docklands body of water. Picture: Scott BarbourSource: Getty Images
The piercing sun became a case of ‘who do you look after first?’ The broadcasters that essentially fund the game, the fans that attend the match, the players who entertain the fans or the health of the grass that is essential to creating an aesthetically pleasing contest?
Either way, the sun and its bright rays are an ongoing PR battle for the AFL. But Jackson disagreed with Sheahan’s assessment.
“If you watch TV at the MCG or the Gabba, there are always shadows across grounds,” he said.
“That’s just the naysayers. They always try and find a problem with the sun and shadows. I think realistically it’s no better or worse than other grounds.
TENANT CLUBS
Essendon jumped on board first via its chief executive Peter Jackson and was broadly seen as having the best financial deal at the stadium among rival clubs. St Kilda, North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs struggled to make ends meet, while Carlton’s move from Princes Park caused headaches too.
Senior club officials believe there will gradually be more high profile games played at the venue in future years now the AFL owns it.
NAMING RIGHTS DRAMA
At various stages in the stadium’s history, its name has directly clashed with sponsors in club land or at the AFL.
In March 2009, the venue became known as Etihad Stadium, with Etihad Airways paying as much as $8 million per year for the naming rights.

The Docklands stadium has had several name changes. Picture: Mark DadswellSource: Getty Images
The only problem was, the AFL refused to acknowledge Docklands as ‘Etihad Stadium’ because its official sponsor was Qantas.
The same occurred earlier in the decade when Telstra spent $50 million to call the venue ‘Telstra Dome.’
But Essendon (which was sponsored by rival telecommunications company ‘3’) and Carlton (which was sponsored by Optus) made a clear point of referring to the venue as ‘The Dome’.
Docklands is now called Marvel Stadium — and will be for at least the next six years.
THE PURCHASE
Before October 2016, there were two failed attempts from the AFL to purchase the facility. But 15 months after the consortium of superannuation funds approached the league to open negotiations, the stadium was purchased for a reported figure of $200 million.
Foxfooty.com.au understands Ray Gunston was an integral player in these discussions. The consortium of five superannuation funds – which were represented by chairman Tony Hallam – fought for a fair deal. The AFL, under pressure from tenant clubs who were bleeding money, was eager to own the stadium and the product.
Across the three formal negotiations, each one became more real. Buying early gave the AFL a lever against the MCG, according to two separate sources familiar with the negotiations.
LEGACY
Some of the most famous footy moments from the last 20 years have taken place at Docklands. The stadium has significantly improved its surface – although questions are still raised occasionally – and level two seating is arguably the best view a fan can enjoy. It's also become a terrific venue for AFLW.

Nick Riewoldt has kicked more goals at the venue than any other player. Picture: Mark DadswellSource: News Corp Australia
“I loved playing there, particularly as a forward,” Riewoldt said.
“I loved the elements being taken out of your mental preparation. I loved going to bed knowing that the roof was going to be shut and having great conditions every time you played there.
“It almost echoed when it was packed. Fifty thousand there felt like a lot more. The closer it got towards full, it almost got exponentially louder.”
When asked whether Docklands has been good for the game, Jackson and Sheahan sat on opposite sides of the debate.
“I do believe it is the best stadium in Australia to watch AFL at and now it will be even better after it gets redeveloped,” Jackson said.
“Nobody could have ever dreamt that the Docklands could have become what it is today. Without the AFL and government meshing together, who knows what it would be like now.”

Level 2 remains a great place to watch footy from. Picture: Richard Cisar WrightSource: News Corp Australia
Sheahan was not as congratulating: “It hasn’t been any better than what VFL Park was.
“It has been OK. I would give it six out of 10. Even though it is on Southern Cross station, it is cold and windswept, it doesn’t seem to have the atmosphere that the MCG generates or VFL Park did.”
Jackson and Sheahan’s varied perspectives are probably the most apt way to assess the Docklands legacy on its 20th birthday: A polarising multi-purpose venue that tried to do too much too soon, but has evolved into one of the finest sporting arenas in Australia.
MOST GAMES AT DOCKLANDS
184 – Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda)
171 – Bob Murphy (Western Bulldogs)
169 – Brent Harvey (North Melbourne)
MOST GOALS AT DOCKLANDS
452 – Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda)
357 – Stephen Milne (St Kilda)
299 – Matthew Lloyd (Essendon)
HIGHEST SCORE
Geelong 35.12 (222) defeated Richmond 9.11 (65) on May 6, 2007
BEST WINNING PERCENTAGE
Geelong (66.84%): Played 98, Won 65, Drawn 1, Lost 32

‘We’re in trouble’: 20 years ago on a hot chaotic night, the AFL changed forever at ‘Colonial Stadium’

‘We’re in trouble!’: Twenty years ago on a hot chaotic night, the AFL changed forever

www.foxsports.com.au